North Cotswolds Villages To Visit In A Day

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There aren’t many places more in line with the notion of quintessential English villages than the absolutely gorgeous Cotswolds. This Area of Outstanding National Beauty (AONB) is perfectly summed up by two of those words: outstanding and beautiful. But what can you do here? And how do you spend a day exploring the beautiful Cotswolds villages?

Where are the Cotswolds?

Located mostly in the West Midlands, basically the middle of England, the Cotswolds are found in six counties including Warwickshire and Gloucestershire. Some of the more northern villages are only a half hour away from Shakespeare’s birthplace, Stratford-upon-Avon. That can make it the perfect day trip while visiting the Bard’s former home.

From London, the Cotswolds are about 2 hours northwest of the nation’s capital. Because most of the villages are in more remote areas, it’s unfortunately necessary to have a car. That, or you risk A LOT of time on public transport.

The Costwolds are made up of numerous tiny villages and towns so you might not be spending too much time in each one. Therefore having access to a car means you’ll be able to explore more of them and at your own leisure.

How long do your need to visit the Cotswolds?

While many of the villages are small, there are a lot of fantastic places – both well known and hidden gems. So you could end up spending more time than you think hopping from one village to the next. For that reason I would say a day trip might be a good way to get a taster of the beautiful Cotswolds, but spending longer would be better.

Ideally find one of the villages to make as your base. Preferably one with a nice country pub and a couple of little shops. Then plan different days in different areas of the Cotswolds so really get to see as much as you can. A long weekend would be the perfect amount of time.

A day visiting these beautiful Cotswolds villages

If you don’t find the Cotswolds utterly charming then England may not be the place for you. Sauntering the cobble-stoned streets of these Lilliputian villages will make you feel as if you’ve gone back in time. That or you’re about to enter some murder mystery TV drama.

But which villages should you visit? With limited time, here are a few northern Cotswolds villages that you can easily visit in one day. For this itinerary I recommend making nearby Tewkesbury or Stratford-upon-Avon your base.

Bourton-on-the-Water

Maybe one of the most idyllic villages you can find is the picturesque and peaceful Bourton-on-the-Water. The centerpiece is the River Windrush which is just as magical as it sounds. Multiple bridges cross the water connecting one side of the village with the other, leaving you unsure of which is the better side. The answer is both.

The river is really shallow and ducks gracefully paddle along, interrupted only by the inevitable dog that finds them too enticing to keep walking. Benches and trees line the river and impossibly charming buildings are at every turn.

If ambling around this pretty village isn’t enough for you, there’s the Cotswold Motoring Museum & Toy Collection. As well as classic cars you can also see 90s TV star Brum the car.

As if Bourton-on-the-Water couldn’t get any more adorable but they even have a miniature village you can visit. See every inch of the actual village in miniature. Also make time to walk around many of the one-of-a-kind shops in this little corner of the Cotswolds.

As for food, there are numerous cute cafes and tearooms and old English local pubs. But a visit to Bourton-on-the-Water isn’t complete without visiting Bakery on the Water. Their cakes are delicious, their sandwiches scrumptious and their bread is divine. Bring Tupperware, you’ll want to take everything home!

Upper Slaughter

Don’t let the name confuse you, there’s nothing sinister about this tiny village. Interesting name aside though, Upper Slaughter is only a short drive from Bourton-on-the-Water. Therefore although there’s not much action in the village itself, you’ll want to check it out for the storybook scenes that will await you there.

If shops and services are what you’re interested in, plan somewhere before or after Upper Slaughter as this village has a population of less than 200 and there’s not much here except exceptionally quaint buildings. So what do you even do here?

Upper Slaughter has a lovely little 12th Century church, St. Peter’s at the top of the hill in the village. There are a few parking free parking spots outside, so you can get out and wander around the church. My favorite part: the local produce and fresh dried lavender that you can help yourself to for a church donation.

Take a saunter through the Slaughter perusing some idyllic homes and cottages. Continue behind the church down the hill to the River Eye and stroll along the river trail. Despite the fact that upper Slaughter is so small, it still should not be missed.

Lower Slaughter

Further down the River Eye is the equally charming sister village, Lower Slaughter. A little larger than Upper Slaughter, but still definitively diminutive, park up and make your way along one side of the river, then down the other. There are a couple of crossings over the river, and some picture perfect backdrops you’ll absolutely love.

There’s a museum centered around the 19th Century mill which is unfortunately no longer in operation. However you can get up close and personal with the mill and learn all about bread-making and the history behind it and Lower Slaughter.

Take a peek at St. Mary’s church or pop into the Village Hall which often has local art exhibits – and a nice reminder of your trip to the Cotswolds to take home. Feeling fancy? Stay for afternoon tea at one of the gorgeous country hotels in the village. The Slaughters Manor House in particular could be a divine afternoon tea stop.

Stow-on-the-Wold

While Stow-on-the-Wold might not have the sleepy nature that the Slaughters do, it’s the perfect place to grab a bite to eat, find some really nice local shops, and enjoy a little history lesson.

The Battle of Stow-on-the-Wold was basically the end of the first Civil War in England in the mid-1600s. The market cross is an understated commemoration of the bloody event that happened in this small town. If it wasn’t for the plaque on this monument you’d never think of such an event occurring in such a seemingly quiet place.

Also in the village square are the old stocks, once perfect for humiliating those accused of wrongdoings in the town and now just an interesting local sight. The market area of Stow-on-the-Wold is filled with old pubs and buildings, and there are so many tiny alleys all leading into the square. These were once used for herding sheep to market.

Market day (minus the sheep) is now Thursday – bi-weekly during the summer and monthly during the winter. So if you can visit then, you’ll get to try some wonderful local food delights and crafts. When you need a rest stop try one of the tearooms in the town. Lucy’s Tearoom has some nice light lunches and snacks.

It might be easy to overlook Stow-on-the-Wold for its smaller neighboring villages, but this town is a great place to stop on your Cotswolds villages day trip.

Enchanting Cotswolds villages you’ll love

Any time spent in the spectacular Cotswolds is time well spent. The almost surreally perfect little towns and villages are heartbreakingly adorable. There’s a lot more to the Cotswolds villages than just some pretty buildings, but that’s a good start. Everything else is a bonus wrapped up so beautifully that you’ll definitely wish you had more time here.

A day is certainly not enough, but it’s a great start, and the ideal taster for future Cotswolds trips. Because if you’re anything like me, you know you’ll be back the minute you step food into these idyllic countryside villages.

If you’ve enjoyed this post leave a comment or share using the social media buttons below. Have you been to any of these or other Cotswolds villages? What do you love most about small towns and villages like this?